Hi once more from the blinking cursor on my screen. Those of you who follow my ramblings know about my bucket list of events and destinations that I have set myself for this year. Prospects of completing the list seem to be waning in my current situation. This had led to me being in one of my notorious slumps.

Luckily, family will always come to the rescue. My birthday was recently and the family decided to treat me to a meal at one of the restaurants I wanted to visit on my bucket list. Just the pick me up that I so desperately needed.

Rim and Rubber Assembly

What a motto.

Situated at 26 Gleneagles Road, Greenside, Johannesburg, Rim and Rubber Assembly fits perfectly in the Greenside vibe. An area known for shops and restaurants that cater for niche markets. Rim and Rubber definitely caters for a very distinguished niche market, namely, bike enthusiasts.

I’ve added a map for those of you in South Africa who would like to check it out. And here’s a link to their Facebook page.

The venue

Entering the venue one is greeted by friendly staff and some very interesting motorcycle related decor. A few things caught my eye. The first is cocktail tables made from old, spoked motorcycle rims. Something every man should dream of having in his man cave.

The second eye catcher is the workshop at the back of the venue. Yes, you read correctly. Rim and Rubber has a fully equipped, fully functioning motorcycle workshop at the back of the restaurant. From what I’ve heard, some amazing custom bikes have been built in that workshop.

The third point if interest, a small apparel shop just across from the workshop. I didn’t pay much attention to the apparel store, as my eye was caught by a rare beauty. An Ariel 600 VB, pretty much in mint condition, on a display pedestal just left of the main entrance.

What a beautiful machine. Ariel 600 VB.

Most of the decor in the restaurant is either motorcycles or motorcycle related. To give example: there is an Aprilia RS250 hanging from the wall. Not a shell, a complete motorcycle, engine and all.

Just across from the Aprilia hangs an Honda 50cc. And above the bar, what looks to be an old Yamaha frame and engine.

Yamaha frame, engine and wheels above the bar.

This place is heaven for a self-confessed bike addict such as myself. The decor and vibe alone puts one on a fuel induced high. One feels as at home in this venue, as one would feel at home in your garage. A restaurant I would definitely visit again, based only on the vibe.

Another reason to visit this place is the fact that the Bike Show records their episodes at the venue on Wednesdays. Although I haven’t personally seen this, I’ve heard that it can be quite the experience. The place is usually filled on weekends with patrons enjoying big screen broadcasts of either SBK, MotoGP or F1 events. Be sure to book a table in advance if you wish to visit at the time of such an event.

The food

Beef Pepper Pie

To be honest, I feared how the food would turn out. The vibe that I get from the space was just phenomenal and what I had read about the food made me slightly nervous. The reviews on Zomato and Facebook definitely did not do it justice. Once our order had arrived, that knot in my stomach vanished instantly.

I had ordered the Beef Pepper Pie, served with chips, salad, an crumbed mushroom. To describe this meal in one word: Delicious. Add to this the interesting plating options, giving the meal a unique spin. The crumbed mushrooms, not exactly crumbed, rather battered, but tasty nonetheless. The pie was far from what I had expected, in the good sense. A creamy beef and mushroom filling topped with a quiche-like pastry. It definitely tastes like a home-made pie should. The salad added the much needed greens to this dish, a fine compliment. The fries on the other hand, not tasting as home made. The chip spice was good, but overwhelming in relation to the other aspects of this dish.

To summarise, it’s a creamy, delicious, home-style meal that I would definitely order again.

The cost

Here’s the big one. I know the average man is on a budget, and some niche spots tends to want to break said budget. Rim & Rubber on the other hand, breaks the mold. For a family of five, it costs about the same as a meal at your average steak ranch here in South Africa. In comparison, I feel one gets far more value for money here, than at said steak ranch. The quality of food and ambience is definitely where the value lies.

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Bike addict is a blog highlighting both the ups and downs of the motorcycling lifestyle. Note that the author and contributing authors write from a personal perspective, therefore the content of this page reflects solely the views of the authors and cannot at all times be deemed to provide an accurate representation of the information as a whole.

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